New FBI documents: 1 Oct. shooter was upset at lack of ‘high roller’ treatment at casinos
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LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - New documents released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation detail the 1 October shooter’s gambling habits leading up to the massacre, including his reported issues with casinos not treating him as a “high roller.”
The 300-page document details many aspects of the FBI’s investigation into the 2017 shooting at the Route 91 music festival that killed 60 and left more than 500 injured. The report included details of the weapons in the shooter’s possession, previous hotel stays in Las Vegas and Reno and his general demeanor.
The FBI interviews someone who chatted with the shooter, Stephen Paddock, online. The identity of the person interviewed was redacted.
That person said Paddock was classified as a “high roller” and had a bankroll of $2-3 million. They said Paddock frequented Atlantis, Peppermill and Tamarack Junction casinos in Reno “and was banned from all three.”
“In previous years, casinos treated the high rollers very well and would frequently treat them to free cruises, airline flights, penthouse suites, tours in wine country, and rides in nice cars,” the FBI report said, describing the Oct. 2017 interview. “About three years ago, the casinos changes [sic] their views of how the high rollers would be treated and started banning them from certain events, hotels, and sometimes certain casinos.”
The interviewee said Paddock was “very upset at the way casinos were treating him and other high rollers,” the report said.
“[redacted] was personally upset and stressed out about the treatment he and other high rollers received in recent years and believed the stress could easily be what caused Paddock to ‘snap.’ [redacted] believed the Mandalay Bay hotel was not treating Paddock well because a player of his status should have been in a higher floor in a penthouse suite,” the report said.
The FBI also interviewed an employee of the Tropicana who had interactions with Paddock. The employee said Paddock would visit the property every few months and was described as a “prolific” video poker player.
During a Sept. 2017 stay at the Tropicana, only a few weeks before the shooting, Paddock reportedly lost $38,000 the FBI report said.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police said further speculation on a motive for the shooting causes more harm to the victims.
The LVMPD and the FBI conducted a joint investigation of the 1 October shooting. At the conclusion of that investigation in 2018, we were unable to determine a motive for the shooter. Speculating on a motive causes more harm to the hundreds of people who were victims that night. The FBI documents that were released as part of a Freedom of Information Act request, are from the original investigation, we do not believe they will shed new light in the case.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
